


The Mer-prince and The Pirate

by JJ1564



Category: Supernatural RPF
Genre: Blow Jobs, Bottom Jensen, First Time, Kidnapped Jensen, Kissing, M/M, Merman Jensen, Pirate Jared, Pirates, Schmoop, Top Jared, tied-up jensen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-12-17
Updated: 2017-12-17
Packaged: 2019-02-15 18:36:59
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,064
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13037052
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/JJ1564/pseuds/JJ1564
Summary: Jared captures a Mer-prince, hoping to get a good ransom of sunken treasure from his family. It doesn't go quite as he planned.





	The Mer-prince and The Pirate

**Author's Note:**

  * For [HermineKurotowa](https://archiveofourown.org/users/HermineKurotowa/gifts).



> Written for the SPN J2 Xmas Fic Exchange.  
> Thanks: Thank you to my lovely beta dizzojay for her help and support.  
> Note: I combined two of your wonderful prompts, herminekurotowa, Give me kidnapped!Jensen any time - drugged, hurt, shackled makes me purr and The pirate and the seawitch/merman, I hope you like it!

The young Mer-prince was a creature of habit, it would seem. Each morning he swam out to a rock and pulled himself up to look out at sea. He was always accompanied by a dark-haired merman, who was probably his bodyguard. Jared had no idea what the Mer-prince looked for, but it was the prime moment to capture him. He handed the telescope back to Jim, his first mate.

“Tomorrow. We send six of the crew, they can easily snatch the Mer-prince and subdue his companion.”

“And how will we deliver the ransom note?”

“Put it in a bottle and tie it to the other merman. They will find it when he returns to sea palace.”

“You were always good at working things out.” Jim smiled at him fondly.

Jim had befriended Jared when he had been hauled cold, wet and scared from the sea. His father’s ship had run aground and a pirate ship under the command of dread Captain Morgan had made sure to relieve it of precious cargo and press the survivors to service. Jared had been just thirteen, barely more than a boy, but he was already tall and strong; after several failed attempts at escaping, he had accepted his fate and become a valued crew member. The Captain soon recognised Jared’s keen intelligence, and made him his second in command. Jared worried that Jim would resent him, but Jim was as true and loyal to Jared as he’d been to Morgan. When Morgan caught a fever and died, Jared was the obvious choice to replace him. Jared had been twenty when he became Captain, just two years ago.

Jared was surprised when his crew returned with the Mer-prince. He was trussed up, and unconscious, while they were all battered and bleeding, two of them heavily.

“Jim, see to those two idiots. The rest of you explain to me how one merman took all of you on.”

“T’weren’t just one, Cap’n,” Qualls explained. “The Mer-prince can fight, and when we subdued his companion like you ordered, he went berserk and it took four of us to take him down.”

“You were supposed to take him alive and well.” Jared scowled, then peered more closely at the Mer-prince. He slapped the boy’s face, but he didn’t stir. He felt his pulse, which was strong and steady. He checked his body for any obvious injuries, and found no major ones. The crew had dressed him in a pair of trousers and a shirt, but he was barefooted. The Mer-prince was tall, almost as tall as Jared, and muscular. Jared was a little disappointed that the Mer-prince’s tail had transformed into legs; he had seen it from afar and it was beautiful – emerald green and bright, it shimmered in the sunlight and it moved so gracefully.

Jared instructed his crew to sail further out to sea. They would return in one day to collect the ransom, and if they did not receive it, the Mer-prince would be sold to the highest bidder. Although the threat to his family was that their prince would be killed, Jared would never harm a defenceless creature.

Jared watched the Mer-princes’s green eyes flash with indignation, and just a hint of fear, as he woke up to the realisation that he was tied to a post, with rope around his legs and neck, and his hands bound behind his back.

“Ah, the sleeping beauty awakens!” Jared grinned as the Mer-prince glowered at him.

“Release me now, or you will not like the consequences,” the Mer-price demanded; a threat that would have been more impressive if he wasn’t dry-mouthed and rasping out the words.

“Brave words, Mer-princess,” Jared laughed. “You are a brave fellow, it seems. I heard you put up a good fight against my crew. Jim, fetch him some water.”

Jim held a cup up to the Mer-prince’s full pink lips and he swallowed it down, nodding when he was done, and licking his bottom lip. Jared was developing a liking for those lips.

“If Misha is dead, you will all die,” the Mer-prince stated.

“Misha? Strange name,” Jared perused. “No, he’s not dead. We are pirates, not murderers.”

If Jared thought his captive would thank him, he was mistaken. “What do you want from me?”

Jared wanted a lot of things from this green-eyed beauty, but he was not a rapist. Jared walked over and inspected the Mer-prince’s hands. “Hmm, impressive. I would’ve expected soft skin like that of a maiden.”

“I know how to handle a weapon.” The Mer-prince snarled.

“I’m sure you do,” Jared winked. “In answer to your question, I want nothing from you. What I want is a hefty ransom from your family.”

The Mer-prince looked uncertain and afraid for the first time. “Then you will be disappointed.”

“What?” Jared asked, puzzled.

“That’s all I will say. I am tired. Leave me.”

Jared laughed. “You do not give the orders here, princess.”

The Mer-prince’s lips formed a tight line and he kept his eyes downcast.

Jared sat down and stared at the young merman. “So, why should I believe you?”

“Why should I tell you?” He retorted.

Jared sighed. “Okay, if I cut you free, will you promise to sit with me over a meal and talk?”

“You want me to share a meal with you, like you are a civilised man?”

“I am a civilised man, Mer-prince.” Jared tried not to get angry with him. “And you? If I free you, will you promise not to escape?”

“I need to be in the sea, so I cannot make that promise,” he retorted. “However, eating with you will be preferable to being tied up – slightly.”

“I could leave you tied here, and have you whipped. Or have you tied to my bed.”

Jared couldn’t help but glance down at the Mer-prince’s crotch and see a slight movement that showed he wouldn’t be averse to being tied to the bed. That was interesting...and hot as hell.

“But you will not, if you are a civilised man as you claim.”

“Touché.” Jared grinned. “Well, I like you, Mer-prince. You aren’t what I expected at all.”

“And you are not how I expected a pirate to be.”

“Good. Now I’ll untie you, and get some fresh water in here, so you can wash and clean your wounds.”

The Mer-prince frowned, then nodded. He had rope burns from struggling against his bonds, along with a split lip, a black eye and a grazed cheek. His knuckles were battered from the punches he had thrown, but he was the most beautiful man – or half-man - Jared had ever seen, and Jared wanted him. He wanted to kiss him, to caress him, to claim him.

“Jim!” Jared called out, knowing his first mate would be nearby, no doubt eavesdropping.

“Yes, Cap’n?” Jim asked as he stuck his head around the door.

“Bring in fresh water, and food for both of us. And wine.”

“Do you want me to feed ‘im?”

“No, that will not be necessary. He will join me at my table.”

“Is it wise to untie him, Cap’n?”

“Is it wise to question me?” Jared growled, and Jim shook his head.

“I beg your pardon, Cap’n.”

Jim departed, and Jared untied the knots around the Mer-prince’s wrists; he winced as he tentatively moved his arms and Jared felt sorry for causing this lovely creature pain. Jared loosened the rope around his neck, then his feet.

“Okay, please, sit,” Jared urged.

The Mer-prince was still leaning against the post, and took an unsteady step towards the chair. Jared caught him as he stumbled.  
His eyes flashed with indignation. “Unhand me.”

“Of course, your Royal Highness, if you would like to land on your pretty behind.”

He shrugged Jared off, and made it the few steps to the chair, wobbly but unaided.

“I do not require your help.”

“I can see that,” Jared replied. 

Jim knocked on the door and at Jared’s gruff “Enter,” appeared with a jug of water, a bowl and a towel, He was accompanied by a young lad carrying a tray laden with meat, bread, cheese, fruit and a bottle of wine. For the Mer-prince there was a basket of fresh fish.

The Mer-prince’s stomach rumbled loudly, and he blushed when Jared smiled at him. He was rubbing his hands, trying to bring the circulation back to them. Jim filled the bowl with clean water and handed him the towel. His hands shook as he tried to dip it in the water.

“Jim, you may leave us.” Jared ordered. “Now, will you let me clean your wounds?” Jared asked once they were alone.

“I can manage,” the stubborn Mer-prince replied.

“Your hands are still half-dead. Let me.” Jared took the towel from his shaking hands and dipped the corner in the water. He ran it gently over his brow, and he couldn’t suppress a sigh as the water cooled his warm skin.

“Thank you,” he whispered, his eyes closed.

Jared swallowed down the lump that had formed in his throat. He also willed his dick to stop hardening. He was a pirate, a marauder, he was not going to get hard just from washing this merman’s face; his beautiful face, broken by Jared’s men. He wiped the blood away from the Mer-prince’s cheek and lip, then rinsed the cloth and ran it over the rest of Jensen’s face and neck.

“That feels better,” he sighed.

“I’m sorry my men did this to you, but you should know that two of them are in a much worse state. You can fight very well.”

“I had a good teacher; and I needed to learn.”

“I’d like to hear more about you,” Jared said as he used the dry part of the towel to gently pat Jensen’s skin. “Please, wash your hands and then we can eat.”

The Mer-prince placed his hands into the bowl and sighed again. “Heaven,” he murmured, and Jared’s dick twitched again.

Jared suppressed a groan and busied himself pouring the wine. “Do you eat human food? I wasn’t sure, so there’s fish...”

Jensen raised a perfect eyebrow. “Human food is acceptable; I am part-human after all, Pirate.”

“Call me Jared; and please, tell me your name?”

“I will call you Pirate, for that’s what you are. You may call me Prince Jensen.”

“Okay,” Jared sighed. This was going to be harder work than he thought. “Princess Jensen.”

“Bastard.”

“Spoiled brat.”

The Mer-prince laughed at that, and Jared relaxed. “You sound like Misha.”

“Misha, the companion you were with?”

“Yes...he’s...” he began, but his stomach rumbled as he eyed his food.

“My apologies, please eat. You must be starving.”

“I think you know that already from the way my stomach’s been gurgling.”

Jared smiled and picked up his fork. Jensen started to eat, and was obviously trying not to shove the food into his mouth too quickly. After he had eaten several mouthfuls, he paused to sip his wine and asked, “How long was I out?”

“About two hours.”

“Is that all? It feels more. My body needs the sea.”

“If your family cooperate, you will be back in the briny in no time.” Jared vowed. “So, who is Misha? Is he your servant, or a friend...” Jared asked, feeling irrationally jealous of the dark-haired merman.

“Misha is my manservant, and my friend. He has been with me since we were merbabes. He’s like a brother to me, and if you’ve harmed him...”

“My intention was for my men to restrain him and snatch you away from your rock, but you decided to put up a fight.”

“Of course I did! If a bunch of ruffians attacked you, what would you do?”

“A fair point.” Jared sat back and watched as Jensen’s hunger overcame his indignation, and he ate a hunk of bread. Jared wanted to see the pink flush of anger under Jensen’s skin, so he asked, “So, why do you swim to that rock each day, princess? Is it to spend time alone with Misha, your lover?”

It worked. Jensen put down the bread, sipped his wine and glared at Jared. “You do not know me, you do not know Misha. We are fighters and we need to be.”

“Why? Is your kingdom at war?” Jared felt guilty for teasing him.

“The danger is from within. But I can tell you, as you seem intent to goad me, that Misha and I have never been lovers. He loves a mermaid, one of my mother’s mermaidens, and when I become King, I will bless their union.”

Jared bit his cheek to stop from smiling; Misha was not a threat. “That is kind of you. When will you become King?”

“On my twenty-first birthday, in four months, two weeks and...” Jensen scratched his head. “four days.”

“That’s very specific.”

“It will be a big day for me. If I live that long.”

“I mean you no harm, Prince Jensen. But tell me, why won’t your family pay a ransom?”

“My mother is pregnant, and the Sea Sage claims it is a boy. My stepfather, Sebastian Roche, wants rid of me so that his son will one day be King, and he can rule in his stead until he is of age.”

“So, he’ll leave you in the hands of dangerous, murderous pirates?”

“Of course he will. In fact, I’m sure he’s behind this. He’s paid you, hasn’t he? What’s the plan, to sell me into slavery? If you were going to kill me, you’d have...oh...” Jensen’s pale face grew paler still. His eyes looked from Jared to the bed then back again. He picked up the bread knife and stood up, brandishing it in front of him. “You’re going to defile me, then kill me.”

“Put the knife down, please,” Jared reassured. Jensen was not accustomed to using his legs and could barely stand. “If I wanted to defile you – which I do, to be honest – I would’ve done so by now. I am not a rapist, or a murderer, Prince Jensen.”

“How can I believe you?” Jensen’s hand holding the knife shook; he was utterly exhausted.

Jared got up slowly and took off his belt, laying down his pistol and scabbard on the table. He approached his captive cautiously, never taking his eyes from Jensen’s green, frightened ones.

“It’s alright, Jensen, I will not harm you. Give me the knife, please.” Jared was almost at the tip of the knife and had Jensen decided to stab him, he would’ve cut him open. Jared somehow knew he wouldn’t, and reached out to take the knife from his hand. Jensen surrendered it and collapsed into Jared’s arms.

“I am...I am so tired.” He whispered against Jared’s shoulder.

“You can sleep; you are safe with me.” Jared helped him onto his bed and sat beside him.

“I don’t know why, but I trust you, Jared.” Jensen yawned.

“I promise, no harm will come to you, Prince Jensen.” Jared climbed onto the bed and held Jensen in his arms until he was snoring softly. Jared knew at that moment that he meant what he had said. Jensen would not be harmed, killed or sold into slavery, for he was Jared’s now.

 

Jensen was having a nightmare. He shouted “Father, look out” and “Sebastian, no!” several times. Jared shook him awake and Jensen turned around, looking completely disorientated in the lamplight, which was not surprising.

“Misha? Where...? Who...?”

“It’s alright, you were having a nightmare.”

“Jared?” Jensen blinked at him. “I’m sorry if I woke you.”

“Don’t be. It’s almost sunrise.” Jared wanted to reach out and wipe away the tears from Jensen’s face.

Jensen rubbed his face angrily. “I don’t want your pity.”

“I’m not pitying you.”

“You are, I can see it in your eyes.”

“I don’t mean to, I just want to take your fears away; I want to touch you.”

“Your arms have been around me most of the night.”

“That was for protection, to make you feel safe,” Jared smiled. “There are other ways in which I wish to touch you.”

“You’ve kidnapped me, and now you expect me to let you touch me?”

“Well, at least I haven’t just tied you to the bed and defiled you, as you expected.”

Jensen laughed, and it was a beautiful sound. “Very true.” He reached out a long finger and ran it down Jared’s chest. “Perhaps I’d like to touch you, too.”

“I think you already...” Jared started to say, but Jensen grabbed his shirt and pulled him in for a kiss.

Jensen kissed him long and hard, never loosening his hold on Jared’s shirt. Jared wrapped his arms around Jensen, and kissed him back, urging his lips apart with his tongue, then marvelling as their tongues danced together, finding their own secret rhythm.  
They pulled apart and Jared was surprised to see that Jensen was weeping; he also noticed Jensen’s skin was starting to grow pale, with a green tinge.

“I’m sorry Jared, I think I’m fading,” Jensen whispered.

“No, no, it’s too soon. I thought we had twenty-four hours.”

“It’s not exact, and every merman is different. I need to get back in the sea, as soon as possible.”

“Right...” Jared scratched his head. How could he let Jensen go? What if his crew thought he was being weak? What if Jensen didn’t return? What if Jared lost him?

“I’ll return, I promise.” Jensen vowed. His green eyes were filled with tears, but they were so sincere Jared believed him.

“Wait here,” Jared instructed, as he left the room to find Jim. 

As usual, he was nearby, sleeping propped up against a barrel. “Jim!” Jared kicked his boot. “Get your useless arse up off the deck.”

“What the f...?” Jim grumbled. “Sorry, Cap’n, I didn’t know ‘twas you.”

“We have a problem. The Mer-prince is fading.”

“We’ll fill some barrels with seawater an’ he can sit in ‘em.” Jim suggested.

“No, that’s not an option, he needs to be in the sea.”

“Then I’ll tie a long rope round his waist, we can pull ‘im back once he’s done.”

“No, we release him.” Jared smiled at the look of horror on Jim’s face.

“We can’t do that! What about the ransom? All that sunken treasure we know the Merfolk are sittin’ their fine arses on?”

“He’ll come back.”

“He’ll come back?” Jim laughed wryly. “O’course he will. Just like I’ll grow lady parts.”

“He’ll come back.” Jared repeated. “I know he will.”

“Jared...I mean Captain, you’re not thinkin’ straight, he’s got you bewitched, an’ I know he’s a pretty fella for a fish, but...”

“Jim, please.” Jared held up his hand.

“Alright, alright, but we do it now afore the crew stirs.”

Jared returned to Jensen. “Okay, you’re free to go.”

“Really?” Jensen asked, wide-eyed.

“Yes, quickly now before you fade further.”

“Thank you, Jared.” Jensen kissed him briefly and his lips were as cold as ice.

Jensen kicked off his trousers and pulled his shirt over his head. His body was beautiful, but it was too pale, his skin too sickly-looking. Jensen crossed the deck on shaky legs, but dived gracefully into the water. He disappeared under the waves and didn’t resurface.

Jared and Jim stared into the waves, ignoring the cry of “man overboard” from the Crow’s Nest.

“He’s gone, Jared,” Jim whispered. They both watched for a few more minutes.

Suddenly the waves broke, and a large emerald green tail emerged, then sank again.

“I see him, Jim!” Jared yelled, excited.

Jensen’s face emerged next, smiling and glowing in the sunrise.

“It’s the Mer-prince, stop him!” someone shouted.

“Stand down,” Jim ordered. “stand down.”

Jared watched mesmerised as Jensen surfaced and dived in the waves. He was so incredibly beautiful, and Jared knew it would be a sin against nature for him to become fully human. He was joined by a small school of porpoises, who joined him diving through the waves. Jared glanced around and saw that most of the crew had joined him and Jim, and were watching the display, too.

“We should get the harpoon ready, snag one o’ them porpoises.” One of the crew suggested.

“You’ll do no such thing, hear me? Not today.” Jared ordered.

“But Cap’n...”

“Just shut yer pie hole, numbskull.” Jim growled.

Jensen seemed to stop to ‘talk’ to the porpoises, then swam back to the ship. He grasped the rope ladder that was thrown down to him, and started to climb up. His tail was still present, but his strong arms soon pulled him up to the deck, where Jared waited to lift him up, and carried him to his quarters. The crew gave cat calls and wolf whistles, obviously realising why their captain had let the Mer-prince go and why he’d been so avidly watching him swim with the porpoises.

“You can put me down, they’re transforming.” Jensen laughed.

Jared lowered him onto the bed and watched in fascination as the emerald scales of Jensen’s tail disappeared and a pair of long, muscular legs took its place. And between Jensen’s naked legs, his dick was thick and hard.

“Jensen...you...you’re beautiful,” Jared whispered. “Can I?”

Jensen nodded, smiling, as Jared knelt on the bed and ran his fingertips along the length of Jensen’s dick.

“Cap’n!” Jim knocked on the door.

“Damn it!” Jared groaned.

“Go, I’ll wait for you.” Jensen grinned, stroking his own dick lightly.

“Holy fuck...” Jared gasped as he watched him.

Jared quickly sorted out Jim’s queries and left the running of the ship in his capable hands while he returned to Jensen. Jared kissed Jensen from his lips to his dick, then licked and sucked Jensen’s pretty, thick dick until he was coming down Jared’s throat.

As Jared carefully prepped Jensen, he wondered what it would be like to make love in the sea, and if Jensen even had a dick when he had his tail...

“Hurry up, Jared, I’m ready,” Jensen’s voice broke his thoughts. “And if you’re wondering, I still have a dick when I have my tail, and one day we’ll have sex in the sea, but for now...”

“Holy fuck, I’ll hold you to that promise,” Jared groaned, then sank his dick inside Jensen, filling him and joining them completely.

 

Jared woke up with Jensen in his arms, and smiled in satisfaction. Making love to Jensen - twice - had been wonderful. He knew he wanted to spend his life with him, difficult as it may be.

“Morning, Jared,” Jensen mumbled, sitting up to look at him.

“Morning, beautiful,” Jared smiled.

Jim knocked at the door with a tray of breakfast food, and a report on the night watch.

They sat up to eat and Jared asked why Jensen had been at the rock every day. “I’ve been going to the rock everyday looking for the Sea Sheppard, to make a deal with him.”

“The Sea Sheppard – he’s a witch, isn’t he? Why would you make a deal with him?”

“Because I wanted to be human – fully human.”

“But why do you want to be human? You look so at one with the ocean, so at home.”

“If I stay in the ocean, I know that Sebastian will find a way to have me killed.”

“Can’t you swim away, far from here?”

“Mermen are never solitary; apart from being isolated and lonely, I would be easy prey for sharks and unfriendly groups of merfolk.”

“Then stay with me,” Jared blurted out, “we...we can be together on the ship, and you can swim alongside whenever you want to or need to.”

“You’re forgetting that you kidnapped me, Pirate.” Jensen sat up and scowled at him.

“You’re forgetting that you kissed me first, princess.”

Jensen couldn’t help but smile. Then he frowned to ask, “Are you serious?”

“Yes. I know we’ve only just met...” Jared smiled when Jensen gave a snort of derision. “Okay, I know I’ve only just kidnapped you, but I feel a connection with you, Jensen. And this is a way out of your problem.”

“I feel a connection with you, too. And not just physically.” Jensen blushed. “I feel safe with you, much safer than I have for so long. You see, Sebastian killed my father, and I saw him do it; he ran him through with a cutlass, to blame it on Pirates. I was just thirteen, and he threatened to kill my mother if I told anyone what I’d seen. He was my father’s best friend, and soon wooed and wed my mother. I think he had always wanted my mother and had pretended to be my father’s best friend to be close to her. Of course, he also gets to rule the kingdom.”

“Oh Jensen, I’m so sorry. I was thirteen when my father died, too.” Jared opened his arms and Jensen came to him, sitting on his lap to let Jared wrap his arms around him. “But it’s been worse for you, carrying that secret. Could you tell your mother now, tell everyone what he did?”

“They wouldn’t believe me. Sebastian and my mother are deeply in love. They have three daughters, and they all hate me. They’ve all made it seem that I don’t care about the kingdom, and that all I want to do is frolic in the waves with Misha.”

Jared smiled at the thought of Jensen frolicking in the waves. “You frolic extremely well.”

“You’re making fun of me.”

“No, no, not at all. I’m just a horny old pirate with a fancy for a certain merman.”

“You may be horny, but you’re not much older than me.”

“True, but back to your story. Jensen, can you turn your back on your kingdom? Don’t you want to honour your father by becoming King and seeing Sebastian pay for his crime?"

“I don’t know what I want any more.” Jensen smiled sadly at him. “The kingdom is happy and content – Sebastian is a good ruler. If I make them believe me, it won’t make the Kingdom any better, but it will break my mother’s heart, and leave my half-sisters fatherless. But I know if I stay, he’ll find a way to banish me or kill me before I can take the crown.”

“Then stay, Jensen, stay with me. If they pay the ransom, we’ll use it to buy a home near the sea.”

“What about your ship? You said I could swim alongside...”

“Well, yes, for a while, but I can’t risk losing you, Jensen, and a pirate’s life is dangerous. Well, mainly boring and then with incredibly exciting but dangerous moments. I could be a fisherman, it would keep me at sea but doing a respectable trade. I’d also like to write novels, and I think between my adventures and yours I could come up with some rousing tales.”

“That sounds...” Jensen was interrupted by a knock on the cabin door.

“Captain!” Jim hollered. “There’s somethin’ you should both see.”

They hurriedly dressed and went out on deck. A dark-haired figure swam in the sea, holding a small treasure chest.

“Misha!” Jensen shouted in delight. “What are you doing here?”

“Jensen! Thank Neptune you’re well.” Misha called back.

“Come aboard,” Jared shouted.

“It’s okay, you can trust him,” Jensen assured his friend.

Misha pulled himself up the rope ladder and Jensen lifted him onto the deck. Misha’s blue tail was already transforming, and Jim produced a large shirt to cover Misha’s body.

“I knew Sebastian would never pay the ransom, so I collected some treasure myself. I hope it’s enough.” Misha explained. He opened the treasure chest and it was filled with gold sovereigns, rubies and pearls, enough to share among the crew and make each a rich man.

“How did you find me?” Jensen asked after the gasps of astonishment had died down.

“The porpoises told me you’d been swimming with them, but I didn’t believe it. You know how they like to tittle tattle.” Misha replied.

“Jared, this is Misha,” Jensen beamed. Misha eyed him quizzically.

“I’m pleased to meet you, Misha.” Jared shook out his hand, but Misha just looked confused.

“Jensen, you look different. You look...happy.” Misha smiled. “Oh, my goodness, you’ve found your mate!”

“I think I have,” Jensen blushed, smiling.

Jared took Jensen’s hand in his and kissed it. “I agree – wait, you can talk to porpoises?”

Misha and Jensen looked at each other, then laughed. “Of course we can, they are just as intelligent as us, and the whales and dolphins.”

“Don’t let the dolphins hear you say that, Jensen,” Misha advised. “You know they like to think they’re superior.”

“Misha, will you stay and have a meal with us?” Jared asked, trying not to laugh at the solemn merman.

“No, I must go. I’ve managed to avoid any questions so far, but your absence will be noted.”

“Tell them I’ve been captured by a violent, murderous pirate and he’s selling me to a sea witch.” Jensen suggested.

“He doesn’t seem very violent or murderous.”

“He’s not, but it sounds better.”

“Very well, Jensen. I don’t think I will see you again.” Misha sighed, sadly.

“Nonsense, you must come to visit me, I will let you know where.”

Jensen and Misha embraced, then Misha dove overboard, his iridescent blue tail flashing through the waves.

A few months later...

Jensen looked around the cottage on the clifftop and sighed happily. It was perfect. He could dive into the sea whenever he wanted to, and Jared didn’t need to become a fisherman to support them, as their share of the treasure Misha had brought them was enough for them to live on. They grew their own vegetables and kept enough livestock for milk and meat. Jared loved writing, and his first novel – the story of a mermaid who falls in love with a pirate - was already published. Jensen fondly remembered their first day here, and the conversation they’d had as they watched the sunset.

“Will your stories always have happy endings, like ours?” he’d asked Jared.

“Yes, but our story hasn’t ended yet, and it will be so happy, Princess.” 

“And I’m to take your word on that, Pirate?”

Jared had grabbed him round the waist and ticked his neck with his beard.

“You’ll take more’n my word, and be happy about it.” Jared had mock-threatened.

“I’ll be more’n happy, Cap’n.”


End file.
